GOOD WOMAN - THETFORD

On Monday 6th March 1905 Police Superintendent Lowe objected to licence renewal on the grounds that the house did not meet the demands of the borough. The number of licenses in Thetford was excessive, in his opinion. The Good Woman was 52 yards 1 foot away from the Dolphin, 108 yards 2 feet from the Spread Eagle, both in the same street. There were four other houses within 500 yards - 359 to the Victoria Shades, 390 to the Albion, 425 to the Castle and 442 to the Dog & Partridge.
In support of licence renewal it was said that with the compensation levy being suggested at £6 per house, only about £180 would be raised from the houses in the borough, this would not be sufficient recompense to a respectable tenant.
The current trade was 2½ barrels a week and since the other two houses in the street provided beer brewed in the town, the residents would be deprived of a different beer.
The Superintendent remarked that since the basis for compensation had yet to be granted was still in the dark, the situation would probably be different in a year's time.
Provisional licence granted and house referred to the County Licensing Committee.

Licence refused at Compensation Authority meetings of 21st and 23rd June 1909. Reported as a beerhouse, owned by Greene King & Co. and run by licensee John Clarke.

At the meeting of the Norfolk Licensing Committee, held Wednesday 15th December 1909, the Owners sought compensation of £702 3s 8d. On behalf of the tenant, it was said that 10% of that sum was insufficient for the hard work carried out increasing trade over the previous seven years.
It was reported that the claimed trade of the house was :
85 barrels per annum, at 15s a barrel, representing a value of £63 15s.
439 dozen bottles of beer per annum at 8d per dozen, which was £14 12s 8d.
130 dozen minerals at 6d which equaled £3 5s.
Tobacco was 5s per week , £13
Food and lodgers provided a profit of £50.
Letting ponies and traps at £15 per week, a profit of £40.
Giving a total of £185 2s 8d.
Rent was £10
Rates and Water £6
Licence £3 15s
Firing £5
Lighting £5
Repairs £2.
A total of £31 15s
The committee believed that trade was less than 81 barrels a year before Clarke took over and that since no books were kept, the figures given were only guesswork.
It was admitted that bottle trade had only started when Clarke had entered the house, but it was stated that an extra 26 barrels a year had been supplied to the house since he had taken over.

The owners accepted the original compensation offer and the Committee agreed that £83 of the settlement be paid to Mr. Clarke. (About 12%)